Wilfried Zaha given chance to impress Manchester United in Under-21 European Championship finals

Wilfried Zaha will lead England Under-21s’ attack in the Uefa European
Championship this summer. Stuart Pearce, the Under-21s coach, has been
impressed with Zaha’s form with Crystal Palace, whom he helped to the
Championship play-off final with two goals in Monday’s win over Brighton and
Hove Albion.

Israel calling: Wilfried Zaha will lead England's attack at the Under-21 European Championship finals this summerPhoto: GETTY IMAGES

“He is enjoying his football,” said Pearce, talking at St George’s Park on Tuesday after announcing his 23-man squad.

“You could see that with the smile on his face when he scored against Brighton. He has come on as a centre-forward for the under-21s and if you look at his second goal, it was very much a centre-forward’s finish. He is happy to get in close contact with the central defender, he rolled him and finished very well.

“He is an improving talent who can give you highs and lows over a season. He’s a young man learning the game but his brilliance has got Palace to a play-off final.”

Zaha, 20, has been bought by Manchester United as a winger, a role where he won his senior cap against Sweden. With Tom Ince suspended for the first game against Italy in Tel Aviv on June 5, Wigan Athletic’s Callum McManaman is expected to win his first under-21 cap, supplying Zaha.

Jack Rodwell is the most surprising omission, although he would not have started given England’s in-form central midfield of Nat Chalobah and Jordan Henderson, the captain.

“Jack’s been really stop-start with his [hamstring] injury this season and the last thing we want him to do is take him to a tournament and that gives up on him again,” said Pearce. “I think it was a wise but tough call because I know what Jack can do.”

It is not a star-studded squad. “If we roll the clock back two years ago, and you’ve got the pairing of [Chris] Smalling and [Phil] Jones at centre-backs and [Kyle] Walker at right-back and a Champions League winner in [Ryan] Bertrand the other, and [Daniel] Sturridge and [Danny] Welbeck up front – you think, cripes what a good team that was,” Pearce said.

“But two years ago they weren’t the household names then we are looking back on now. As team ethic goes, and a willingness to achieve something, I think this is as strong a group I’ve worked with in the four championships.”

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jones will continue their development with Roy Hodgson’s seniors, who face the Republic of Ireland and Brazil in their end-of-season friendlies. Pearce said Hodgson “obviously wants to take the Ox to Brazil to get that experience”.